Hydraulic coupler



' Aug. 23, 1966 5. F. HUPP HYDRAULIC COUPLER Filed Nov. 26, 1963 RU S u w A United States Patent 3,267,963 HYDRAULIC COUPLER George F. Hupp, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Metro Hydraulics, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 326,020 1 Claim. (Cl. 137-61404) My invention relates generally to improvements in coupling devices for hydraulic conduits and has for its primary object the provision of novel means for releasably holding cooperating coupler improvements in their aligned operative positions.

More specifically, my invention relates to coupling devices which include male and female sections which are coupled by screw-threaded action and which are retained in operative position by virtue of a ball carried by the female member and received and retained in an axially offset recess at the terminal end of the thread associated with the male member, under yielding bias.

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means in structures of the type immediately above described whereby cooperating coupling elements are capable of withstanding greatly increased internal pressures which tend to axially separate same.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described wherein the additional costs of construction are more than offset by the benefits gained.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is foolproof in its operation and rugged and durable in construction.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claim, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view in elevation of my novel coupler, a portion of which is broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 2 is a view in axial section of the component parts of the structure shown in FIG. 1 in an operative position, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a view in transverse section as seen from the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in transverse section as seen from the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view in transverse section as seen from the line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral indicates the male body member of my novel coupler; whereas 11 indicates the cooperating female body member. Male body member 13 is formed to define an axial bore 12, whereas female body member 11 is formed to define an aligned axial bore 13. As shown, male member 10 has a diametrically reduced outer end portion 14 which is receivable in the bore 13 of the female body member 11.

As shown, the extreme outer end of the reduced portion 14 of male member 10 is formed to define a diametrically reduced annular valve seat 15 against which a check ball 16 is yieldingly biased by virtue of a coil compression spring 17 interposed between an adjustable stop 18 and the shoulder 19 of a stool 20, which is mounted for limited sliding axial movements in an axial bore 21 in the adjustable stop 18. As shown in FIG. 1, a portion 16a of the ball 16 projects axially outwardly through the opening 15a defined by the valve seat 15 when the valve ball 16 is in sealing engagement with the seat 15, and when the body members 10, 11 are in an axially separated non-operative position.

Patented August 23, 1966 The diametrically enlarged outer end of the bore 13 of female member 11, adapted to snugly telescopically receive the reduced outer end 14 of the male coupler 10, is identified by the numeral 22. The intermediate portion of the bore 13, however, is diametrically reduced to define an annular valve seat 23, which is aligned with and closely spaced from the valve seat 15 of the male member 10 when the reduced end 14 of the latter is fully received within the enlarged outer bore portion 22 of the female member 11. Similarly, a check ball 24 is yieldingly biased toward engagement with valve seat 23 by means of a coil compression spring 25, which is interposed between an adjustable stop 26 and a shoulder 27 on an axially movable stool 28. Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be noted that spring 25 causes a portion 24a of the valve check ball 24 to project through the opening 23a of the valve seat 23 when the body members 10, 11 are separated. A yieldable O-ring seal 29 inserted in an annular recess 30 Within the diametrically enlarged portion 22 of the bore 13 obviously effects a seal against passage of fluid between the male and female elements during coupling and uncoupling, as Well as during coupled relationship.

In a well-known manner, the check balls 16, 24 are caused to abut against each other and unseat each other when the male and female coupler members 10, 11 are in their operative relationship as shown in FIG. 2, whereby to permit fluid to pass freely through the aligned bores 12, 13. In this regard, reference to FIGS. 3 and 5 illustrate that adjustable stops 18, 26 only partially restrict their respective bores 12, 13.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the male member 10, in axially inwardly spaced relation to the valve seat 15 thereof, is formed to define a pair of helical grooves 31, 32, each of which starts and terminates degrees removed from the other. Female member 11, on the other hand, has a reduced outer end portion 33, the axially inner limit of which terminates in an annular shoulder 34.

An annular locking sleeve 35 is axially slidably received over the reduced outer end 33 of the female member 11. As shown, the locking sleeve 35, adjacent its inner end 36, is bored as at 37 to define a second annular shoulder 38 which is in opposed spaced relation to the first-mentioned annular shoulder 34. A coil compression spring 39 is telescopically received over the reduced portion 33 of the female member 11 with its opposite ends in abutting relationship with said shoulders 34, 38, whereby to yieldingly bias said locking sleeve 35 in an axially outward direction.

Adjacent its axially outer end the sleeve 35 is counterbored as at 40 to define a shoulder 41. Adjacent its extreme outer end the reduced portion 33 of female member 11 is formed to define an annular channel 42 in which is received a rigid, diametrically enlarged stop ring 43 which is engageable with the shoulder 41, whereby to positively limit outward movement of the locking sleeve 35 under yielding bias of the spring 39.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the reduced outer end portion 33 of female member 11, intermediate the shoulder 34 thereof and said stop means 43, defines a plurality of diametrically opposed radially inwardly tapering groups of apertures 44, 45, preferably and as shown, three in each group. It Will be noted, not only that the apertures in each group 44, 45 are closely spaced to each other, but also that they are arranged in a helical pattern corresponding to the helical pattern of the grooves 31, 32 defined by the male member 10.

Thread-forming balls 46, 47 are received respectively in the groups of apertures 44, 45 and are of a size not only to be restricted against radial inward movements by the tapering sides of their respective apertures, but

also to be snugly received, one group each within one of the helical grooves 31, 32. Furthermore, it will be noted that the internal diameter of the lock sleeve 35 is such as to retain the individual balls 46a, 47a of each group 46, 47 snugly within their respective grooves 31, 32 during rotary coupling movements. Adjacent the terminal end each of the grooves 31, 32 is formed in its outer wall 48 with three notches 49 (only one group of which is shown) which are of a size and are spaced apart to simultaneously receive (one each) all three of the balls 46a, 47a of the groups 46, 47. Obviously, because of the snug fit between the balls 46a, 47a and the respective grooves 31, 32 in which they are received, none of the balls 46a, 47a can drop into the recesses 49 until all thereof are in axial alignment with said notches 49, whereby the combined yielding bias of the coil compression springs 17, 25, coupled with the internal pressures of the fluid within the bores 12, 13, causes simultaneous seating of said balls 46a, 47a within said recesses 49, and retention thereof within said recesses until the locking sleeve 35 is moved axially inwardly against the yielding bias of coil compression spring 39. When this is done, all of the balls 46a, 47a in each of the groups 46, 47 are caused to move radially outwardly into the counterbore 40 on the extreme outer end of the locking sleeve 35. While it is obvious that no greater unlocking force is required with aforesaid groups 46, 47 of balls 46a, 47a, than would be required with a single ball, nevertheless the axial bursting strength of the coupler 10, 11 has been greatly increased. It will be observed that when the locking sleeve 35 is fully retracted, the portion 40 will allow the release of the balls 49 entirely from the grooves 31 and 32, as is Well known in the art.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objects; and while I have disclosed a preferred embodiment thereof, same may well be capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a fluid coupling device,

cooperating male and female body members each defining an axial bore,

said male member having a diametrically reduced outer end portion receivable in the bore of said female member,

the outer end of said male member and said female member within said bore each defining a diametrically reduced annular valve seat which are in closely spaced axially aligned relationship when said body members are in an operative coupled relationship,

a check ball within each of said bores,

means yieldin-gly biasing each of said balls toward engagement with its respective valve seat whereby a portion of each thereof projects axially outwardly through the opening defined by its respective seat, said male member in axially inwardly spaced relation to the extreme outer end thereof being formed to define a pair of helical grooves each starting and terminating 180 degrees removed from the other,

said female member having a reduced outer end portion the axially inner limit of which terminates in an annular shoulder,

a locking sleeve slidably axially received over the outer end of said female member,

said sleeve adjacent its inner end being counterbored to define a second annular shoulder which opposes said first-mentioned annular shoulder,

a coil compression spring slidably received over said reduced outer end portion of said female member and having its opposite ends in abutting relationship with said opposed shoulders whereby to yieldingly bias said locking sleeve in an axially outward direction,

stop means adjacent the axially outer end portion of said fem-ale member and said locking sleeve limiting axially outward movements of said locking sleeve with respect to said female member,

said reduced outer end portion of said female member intermediate said shoulder thereof and said stop means defining a plurality of diametrically opposed radially inward-1y tapering apertures which are circumferentially spaced apart in a helical pattern corresponding to the helical pattern of the grooves defined by said male member,

a plurality of thread-forming balls one each within one of said apertures, the balls being closely fitted within the grooves, and

the axial outer walls of each of said grooves being formed adjacent its terminal end to define a plurality of notches for the simultaneous reception of said balls under the yielding bias of said first-mentioned yielding means, when the balls are each aligned with the respective grooves, the thread-forming balls being seated in the notches until unseated by axial inward movement of the body members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,614,866 10/1952 Ulrich 137-61404 2,706,646 4/1955 Olson 137-61404 3,052,488 9/1962 Bruning l37-614.04 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 173,683 12/1960 Sweden.

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

HENRY T. KLINKSIEK, Examiner. 

